1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a cement distributing vehicle, which permits greatly simplifying packed cement distribution systems for prompt and smooth distribution of high quality packed cement.
2. Prior Art
Heretofore, as the form of cement distribution in the market, there have been a method, in which powdery cement is transported in a state of accommodation in a cement accommodation tank mounted in a cement transport vehicle to big quantity requesters, and a method, in which packed cement is transported on a truck to pretty quantity requesters such as construction material shows and retail sales shops.
In the prior art packed cement distribution system, powdery cement is transported from a cement manufacturing plant to a packing plant (or a packing department in the manufacturing plant) , and packed cement obtained therein is transported by a large-scale 10 tons truck or the like to a large service center controlling an area. From this service center (and sometimes via a small-scale service center) packed cement is distributed by a small truck or the like construction material shops or like small shops and pretty quantity requesters whenever an order is received. In the case of a distribution of the packed cement to a construction site, a distributing vehicle equipped with a tank for the packed cement is used. (e.g. see Japanese Patent publication No. 244521/1996).
The packed cement is formed by taking the relative humidity resistance and the handling property of powdery cement. However, even the packed cement may be deteriorated in quality by absorbing moisture in long stock time. Therefore, in construction material shops or like small shops, it is not suited to stock large quantity of cement. Besides, for stocking large quantity of cement, it is necessary prepare place and expensive warehouse. Therefore, it has been inevitable to make frequent pretty quantity orders. Furthermore, in the above prior art packed cement distribution system the management of packed cement in the service center requires great cost and man-hours inclusive of a vast place, and also pretty quantity distribution from the service center to purchasers requires great time and man-hours. Therefore, it has been difficult to cope with packed cement sales price reduction as demanded by the market. The inventor of the present application accordingly derived a cement distributing vehicle, in which an automatic packing machine for packing a predetermined quantity of powdery cement from a powdery cement accommodation tank is mounted on a transporting vehicle with a cement accommodation tank mounted thereon.
The cement distribution accommodating vehicle requires a power source for the automatic packing machine, a dust collector and a controller for controlling these components in addition to an air compressor for forcedly transporting powdery cement in the cement tank. As such power source, a vehicle-mounted battery is insufficient in capacity. For this reason, an engine-driven power generator which is driven with gasoline or the like is mounted in the vehicle to generate necessary AC power. However, such power generator is heavy in weight and large in size, and thus requires a wide space for its mounting in the vehicle. This means that in case of mounting a tank with a capacity of accommodating 10 tons of powdery cement, it is inevitable that the total vehicle length exceeds 10 meters. Such excessive total vehicle length leads to the possibility that it is difficult to drive the vehicle to the distribution destination or park the vehicle therein. To cope with such difficulty, it is a measure to repeat the round trip for the distribution by reducing the tank capacity. From the standpoint of the distribution efficiency, it is conversely desired to increase the tank capacity, and to this end it is necessary to provide a compact vehicle with as great tank capacity as possible.